Freddie Gray Case: William Porter Ordered To Testify Against Second Cop

Baltimore Judge Barry G. Williams on Wednesday ordered Officer William Porter to testify at the impending trial of another Baltimore police officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray, reports The Baltimore Sun.

Jury selectionin the trial of Caesar R. Goodson is set to begin on Monday, reports the site. The 16-year veteran on the force faces the most serious charge of all the officers: second-degree depraved-heart murder.

Porter was the first of six officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray to go to trial. While a mistrial was declared last month, the Sun notes that Porter “remains charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. He is scheduled to be retried in June.”

Williams said he found himself in “uncharted territory” as he granted Porter a type of immunity that allows his charges to stand but which precludes his testimony from being used against him. Attorneys and legal observers agreed that such a ruling against a co-defendant was a first in Maryland.

Porter’s defense attorney Gary Proctor had argued that forcing Porter to testify at the trial of Officer Caesar Goodson would violate his state and federal constitutional rights that protect defendants against self-incrimination, and that he could be subjected to perjury charges or become exposed in a federal investigation.

Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Michael Schatzow said Porter could not claim such protections once granted immunity.

All of the officers charged in Gray’s arrest and death have pleaded not guilty.